The release of Inside Out 2 was announced in September 2023. Two months later, the first trailer for the upcoming film was released. Inside Out 2 is a sequel to the 2015 film of the same name. This trailer offers some insight into what fans can expect in the coming film which will be released in 2024. One of which is, the arrival of new emotions.
The trailer is currently Disney’s highest trailer launch with an impressive 157 million across platforms. It is a feat that has not been achieved by any other films that the company has released. The film to previously hold this record was the Frozen sequel, Frozen II. This alone speaks to a high degree of anticipation of the film. In this article, we cover some of the new emotions that viewers can expect with this new release.
What Happened in Inside Out 1?
When Inside Out was released in 2015, it was commercially and critically successful. It made $858.8 million at the global box office, against a budget of $175 million, and was a hit with critics. The film was mostly praised for how moving its story was. Inside Out was also released at a time when it seemed like Pixar was only concerned with making sequels, as such a refreshingly original story was appreciated.
The story follows Riley, an 11-year-old who has recently moved from Minnesota to San Francisco with her family. The move is affecting her deeply and she starts to act out in ways that worry her parents. Behind the scenes, in Riley’s head are five basic emotions, Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust. These emotions, with Joy at the helm of things, are what control Riley’s actions and behaviour. As the film progresses we see them help her transition from an unstable emotional state to one that is more stable, especially with the help of an emotion that was initally not considered useful.
What Are The New Emotions in Inside Out?
The trailer of Inside Out 2, like all trailers tells part of the story that can be expected in the upcoming film. One key element of this sequel is that Riley has now become a teenager. As is the same for anyone who has gone through the hellscape that is puberty, it is clear that this comes with a rollercoaster of emotions.
The trailer has revealed the arrival of a new emotion. The new kid on the block in Riley’s teenage brain is Anxiety. It is an orange-coloured feeling that appears after the construction workers in Riley’s head who keep up the running of things, celebrate what is called “demo day”. This celebration is done by basically destroying the headquarters of Riley’s emotions. However, when in the trailer, Anxiety says “We wanted to make such a good first impression” it stirs up a new question, is there more than one new emotion?
What Other Potential New Emotions To Expect from the Sequel’s
It has not been confirmed yet, but aside from Anxiety, there might be more emotions in the upcoming Inside Out. From the trailer and based on what the studio has said, this film is about the emotional rollercoaster that is puberty. Then it is safe to expect that there might be other new emotions other than Anxiety. The plan was always to add more emotions to the film, as confirmed by the film’s writer Pete Docter
These new emotions that may come during puberty could be heightened versions of older emotions. So Riley might feel angrier at things that did not anger her as much before. Confusion might also lay its stake on the console that the emotions use to control Riley’s feelings. While all of this is contemplative it is clear that Riley will experience severe mood swings and struggle with things that she has never had to deal with in the past. Inside Out 2 has tasked itself with a very important challenge. This challenge is figuring out the ways the human brain changes during puberty. The hope is that just like with the first film, it teaches people – young and old about this very important phase in human development. Offering a fresh and original story to the many infographics on this subject.
There have been some worries about the introduction of new emotions in Inside Out 2. These concerns are hinged on the fact that it signals a departure from the ethos of the film. In the first film, it was established that the core five emotions are what people have all their lives, even up to adulthood. However, it might be an attempt at inclusivity, by addressing the ways mental health issues such as anxiety affect human emotions and can start during childhood.